A bystander to the debate over health care

Hardly a day goes by without a Globe editorial, op-ed, or article reminding us of the so-called critical stakes that are up for grabs in the current health insurance debate. But is this really true? When I think about matters that are critical for me, I am most always thinking about the physical and mental health of my family, their current state of happiness in life, their financial well-being, the progress they are making in school, and other issues of this type.

The current debate over health insurance fundamentally revolves around the question of how health care will be provided for people who cannot afford to pay for it. Like most Americans who are not poor, I simply assume that, one way or another, I will end up paying for my own care, leaving the politicians and lobbyists currently in charge free to add ­— without any input from me — a still-to-be-determined something-or-other to the bill for themselves and the health care of nonpayers.